I’m going to go to a specific topic about a health matter that we know very well. And it’s a health matter that many of us don’t want to hear, nor talk about. A health matter that many of us know through family and friends and associated know. The topic I’m bringing up is diabetes. We’ve heard of it, right? We should.

Picture this: you visit your new doctor for the first time in a while. You kept hearing about getting a physical, check up or what ever you call it. You go to a previous eye doctor of any kind to get your eyes checked in all, and then they check your blood pressure. It’s elevated. And you have to get checked up. So you exercised for about a month and then you go to a new medical physician. After your physical is done and getting your blood checked, you think it’s all good right? Not exactly.

This past Tuesday, after I was working for the Election Commission in Milwaukee, I went home to hear about my test results from my physician. Everything else was good, except one thing: Glucose. My glucose numbers was high like a kite of 237 and my A1C was like in the nines; which is kind of bad. And it was ruled that I contracted or diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. The shock and disbelief of my nurse telling me this was not good. According to them, they tracked my blood from 3 months ago. And it was high all this time. Didn’t know it. After the shocking news, there was one other source of info I had to turn to, my mother. And she knows about Diabetes because she was diagnosed over 20+ years ago. We went over the results online to get an idea about what happened and why it happened. She broke it down like, in addition to foods and drinks some of them can spike up you blood sugar. Even stress can cause diabetes. February 24th was the one year anniversary since my father’s passing, in which I know now the result of his death was coronary vascular disease. But what lead to that, was Diabetes and he was 69 years old. We dealt with death for like most of 2017 and it was not a easy experience losing my father so soon. Some of my relatives living and deceased had gotten diabetes earlier and two of my 1st cousins had amputations on their legs and feet cut off.

I have heard the horror stories particularity from those who were diagnosed and they were not good stories.

Now you probably asking like, REALLY?! How did this happen?! You’re 41 years old and African American and supposed to be healthy in all. Guess what? Like any other diseases, disorders or health issues, they can strike at ANY AGE. ANY RACE. ANY GENDER. This like bullets has no eyes to look. You can meet a dude or a chick 10 years younger than me and they have diabetes. No matter how fat or skinny they are. My former physician once told me that you can get diabetes when you get older. You know what, the doctor was right, and that quote was about 6 years ago when I was in my 30’s.

Now I’m not a happy camper that I’m the latest causality of the “Diabetic Universe”. Really I’m not. But right now, I don’t know how I’m going to adjust my life doing this blog with my stories reaching you. No I’m not quitting. This blog is not going away as you think.

Why I am telling this story? Why share this story that I know that it’s going to change my lifestyle, goals, objectives, etc. I’m reaching out to those that do WordPress or other bloggers that know what I’m going through right now. I’m new to this club that I didn’t want to join and now since I’m in this club, I’m trapped in this prison. Can’t get out. I know it’s horrifying and dead scary. But I had this quote years ago while getting checked up was something like: “Check your blood or die!” You know what, I’m bring that back. Even in this era that we think we feel good, but we really REALLY have to be sure. What I’ve learned then and now is that you can’t overlook anything with your health. You really can’t. We all have agendas and ideas to maintain, but to be real, our health comes first to the agendas. We know we want to live longer and see our future folks grow up and have kids of their own. Some of us may not be so lucky. No matter if you are a woman and yes men we must know!

I heard and read from lots of folks whom have this Diabetes to live with day after day, year after year, month after month in all that it’s not going to define them. I want to be clear that I’m not going to let Type 2 Diabetes NOT STOP ME! Oh it has slowed me down, made me humble and made me ask why. But there is another question to say the next day after seeing your doctor, “Now what?” Also, what’s next? And also where do we go from here?

We know and hear that Diabetes is not “a go away thing forever”. Yes you can manage it to a point to get it under control. But it has to stay managed! Stay managed like eating the right foods. Stay managed like getting enough exercise everyday. Stay managed like checking your blood pressure, weight, and checking up with your physician on point. And yes stay managed by taking the meds prescribed. It’s about taking back control of your health and you. Time to get moving.

Even though that it’s been a tough week of mixed emotions so far, I know that it won’t be easy to get through. If this is a lesson to be learned in all, then I’m still learning. This not just a black community health concern, this is an everyone health concern. And yes black folks, this hits us the most! Had to say that in Black History Month, but this rings true in every month. And to point out, I just watched Anthony Anderson’s Video Clip on the Get Real About Diabetes Facebook Page. Here is the thing: Anthony was diagnosed with the Type 2 about 16 years ago. And like many others, he had to ask why? He also mentioned about his father’s passing and other health related matters that hindered him. This is the same Anthony Anderson that was on Transformers, Kangaroo Jack, Barbershop, King’s Ransom, and currently, Black-ish. He also had an episode that revealed that Dre (Anthony’s Character) was diagnosed with Diabetes.

I know that this was not the news to share. But I had to bust this out because there are those whom had this for a while can understand of what I’m going through.

And yes, I’ll get the resources via the American Diabetes Association, and any other Diabetes Support Group that I can reach out to, especially to those whom are African-American knows the deal dealing with this everyday. And I’m going to start where I know: my own backyard of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

I know it won’t be easy, but I’ll try something for once to say that I know now what I must do. This was a real set back, but it’s not a total set back of my goals and dreams in life!

It’s the same show that has Anthony Anderson on point. Talking about the use of the N-Word, Pops being afraid to go to doctors, Nepotism, the truth behind the use of black lives, as in Black Lives Matter, and many other issues and concerns and a comedic side when it comes to African-Americans.

But this episode called “Lemons” which had the family and company talking about the election, and the win of Donald Trump: Folks If you HAVE NOT watched this show, it was so powerful! It needed to be said and viewed upon no reason. And oh, this is the same Black-ish show that Donald Trump talked smacked about being racist in all two and half years ago. For all those whom are Trump supporters or even Trump himself, just to clarify: Black-ish is not racist at all. Stop playing!

The highlights of the show, was centered at Dre’s job where most of the conversation was centered around the election. And of course the one half of the highlight was the character Lucy voted for Obama twice, but swung her recent vote to Trump. She expressed that she wanted a female president to run the country, but not her. Her as in Hillary Clinton. And the later reaction of the assumption of her being racist for her vote and have black friends resonated in a rebuttal of her chosen vote.

But the MAIN Meat of the second half was Dre’s viewpoint of America. These words as if not been repeated is this:

‘I love this country—even though, at times, it doesn’t love me back.’

Those words alone. I’ll bet many in my culture of African-Americans have probably been saying for years! Generations. Eras. Take notes, white folks. And the thing is yes, like Dre said, we’ve played ball. We continued to work in all. And the part Dre saying that even though he’s not shocked that Hillary didn’t win, or Trump got his upset win, the same situation didn’t change when it came to the state of Black America. And the thought that at times the way things go, not always the case when it comes to black folks. And the music of Strange Fruit was playing in the background.

Thinking back: those words of again, ‘I love this country—even though, at times, it doesn’t love me back.’ This reminds me of a quote by two black women whom said a similar quote. Research the Delany Sisters, Bessie and Sadie. And this quote:

“We love our country, even though it didn’t love us back.”

Does that sound familiar?

It should! Many of us in the Black Community probably again have been saying that for years.

Now this whole thing about Black-ish being all about racist out of the mouth of our soon-to-be President is flat out ridiculous. Probably he’ll never watch another show of it because of the dialogue he thinks it doesn’t resonate with him. Clearly it doesn’t. What does resonate that the ongoing saga of this country’s DNA of racism will still be examined.

Now keep in mind that Blackish is not The Cosby Show. Not Family Matters or Fresh Prince. Nor any other show like Good Times. Blackish is in its league of its own and like many of the shows before it, the issues of black concerns are still relevant today! Did I mention that Tracee Ellis-Ross won a Golden Globes Award for the show? Like 44 years after her famous mom Diana Ross won hers?

And even if you have a incoming President like Donald Trump talking smack about John Lewis about all talk and no action. Well we know the real resume of John Lewis is not as tainted like a soon to be 45th President.